Falling
by funkymoleperson
Summary: It’s Christmastime and Raine has no idea how Lloyd Irving convinced her to go iceskating. LloydRaine. Oneshot.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia.**

**Summary: It's Christmastime and Raine has no idea how Lloyd Irving convinced her to go ice-skating. Lloyd/Raine. One-shot. **

_Falling_

"C'mon, Professor, it'll be fun!" Lloyd clasped his bright red mittened hands together and looked at her pleadingly.

"Don't look at me like that, Lloyd Irving, or I'll be forced to give you extra homework," Raine snapped, then added in an undertone. "I've got work to grade and you know I can't resist that expression..."

"It's Christmas, surely those papers can wait _one day_," Lloyd replied. "It's _frozen_, Professor Sage, I promise you won't drown!"

"Lloyd..." Raine sighed, a hint of exasperation in her tone. "There are a million other things that could happen. The ice could break, I could fall..." She winced.

Lloyd clucked his tongue. "I'll be there the whole time, so if you trip, I'll catch you. Now, enough excuses. Let's go!" He latched onto her arm and pulled her out the schoolroom door into the snowy village square. The young swordsman was certainly strong, but Raine might have allowed herself to be pulled, a little...

After all, it was _Lloyd_ she was dealing with, and it was getting harder and harder to dissapoint him these days. After the two worlds had been saved, he'd gotten _bored_ of all things, and had taken to bothering her much more in class then ever. She was beginning to seriously considder quitting her teaching job, just for the peace she'd get. Except, then she'd see less of Lloyd, and that was beginning to be problematic.

"Hey, Rai-" Lloyd paused. "Professor. You sort of blanked out there."

His voice roused her from her thoughts. "Oh, I'm sorry, Lloyd, I was just thinking."

He smiled. "Well, anyway, we're here! I brought some skates for you since I know you don't have any. you can keep them...um...as a Christmas present. I hope they fit."

Raine ran a finger over the lacing. "They look...nice..."

"I'm glad!" Lloyd exclaimed happily, and there was an awkward pause. "It might help if you put them on, though."

"Right," Raine muttered, and sat down in the snow beside the frozen pond. Lloyd sat next to her, and for the moment they busied themselves with getting on the skates in silence. When he was finished, Lloyd hopped to his feet and offered Raine a hand up. She accepted it and stood for a moment looking doubtfully at the ice. Lloyd saw her expression and gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"Just, hold onto my arm, okay?" he said reassuringly, holding out said arm. Raine gave him a weak smile, and encircled her own arm through his.

"I'm ready," she said stepping forward, and they were off.

Everything was unsteady at first, and the silver haired half elf wobbled dangerously, clinging to Lloyd's arm for support, but the swordsman didn't seem to mind. In fact, if Raine had not been so disoriented, she might have noticed the joyous smile he wore when she clung to him or the gentle warmth in his eyes as he watched her. For one so apt to notice other's feelings and the other so apt not to, the roles seemed to have changed quite a bit.

After a while, Raine began to catch the rythem. Giving Lloyd a hesitant smile, she let go, and was skating on her own! Twirling and whirling and then falling! The ice rushed to meet her, and Raine's eyes flew shut in anticipation of the crash, but it never came. Instead, warm arms were wrapped around her, holding her up, and when she chanced to look she saw Lloyd looking down at her, his eyes bright and, she thought, very concerned.

"Careful there, Raine," he said quietly as she straightened up.

"Th...thank you," Raine replied, her voice wavering slightly. She took a deep breath to calm herself. "I think I've had enough ice skating for now."

"That's okay," Lloyd said, cheerfulness returning. "You did really well for your first time, Professor."

Raine hobbled off the ice and pulled off her skates. "I can really keep these?"

Lloyd nodded. "Of course! I told you, they were a gift!"

Raine seemed to drift off in thought.

"Something bothering you?" the brown haired swordsman asked. "You look kind of sad."

"Well, no, It's just..." Raine sighed. "It was very kind of you to do that for me, but I have no gift to give you in return."

The smile returned to Lloyd's face. "Don't worry about that, Rai..._Raine_. I had fun being able to skate with you."

"That's...mature of you," Raine said thoughtfully. "Most children desire gifts and other material things."

"I'm not a child!" Lloyd protested. He looked adorable that way, Raine noted, and she decided to do something about it.

She kissed him.

And he kissed back.

When they pulled apart, Raine studied her companion for a moment, then said, "No, perhaps you're not..."

The two walked slowly back towards the village with their skates slung over their shoulders holding hands.

Raine had fallen, in more ways then one, and Lloyd had caught her every time.

_Fin._


End file.
